a big bag of useful items for the backpack
@MarieElaine , hi (again) from way down south. And I have read all your posts.
In them you say nothing about your preparation for 40-42 days of getting up, walking, breakfast stop, walking, lunch stop, (walking,) arrive, find a bed, wash your smalls, look around the village (town or city), go to sleep, repeat. And of course, stops during the day to inspect this or admire that.
I appreciate you may already have the stuff below well in hand and my scribblings below may seem like those from a well meaning uncle, but not relevant. So please read me kindly. My wish is that you are sufficiently prepared that you will figuratively fly up from Saint-Jean on your first day, leaving everyone in your dust.
The two things that most helped me prepare were:
1) work at keeping my back pack and all that was in it (bag, clothes, water, technology etc) hovering around the mythical 7 kg. I was told that Spain is a civilised country with a good range of shops in the cities, and pharmacies even in villages. See
@SYates on this, and other, topics. It was the owner of a hostel in France (when I had been underway two weeks) who taught me to weigh my pack by getting on the scales twice - first time with wearing the pack (fully laden) and my walking stuff - second time just me wearing my walking stuff. The difference between the two measures was the weight of the pack - simple.
About the clothes: I learnt very quickly (for a male of the species) from my training walks to have quick drying clothes. It took me a lot longer to understand layering. Again from
@SYates , I worked at having as much as possible of my stuff serving two functions. So my rain coat is also my wind-breaker and is my outer layer. And from my tramping days (long ago in my youth) to go to sleep wearing what I would walk in the next day and cut the early morning routine at home to less than a shadow when on camino.
2) work at getting my body and mind fit for the day after day routine. I had a particular issue when I began my preparations - I was about 20 kg over "normal" (=BMI) weight. But also getting my feet used to walking. And getting walking (actually running) shoes that fitted my feet with room to spare. I only wish
@davebugg was writing notes on this when I started my preparations seven years ago this month.
With that in mind I suggest considering working up to:
a) completing, say, 15 km before stopping for breakfast. and
b) achieving an ascent of, say, 600 m before stopping for breakfast.
The latter will be hard for most, me included. On the other hand the ascent out of Saint-Jean is twice that. I think the trick is to find a way of walking where the feet move at the same speed regardless of the slope, just that as the slope increases so the step shortens to the point where one foot goes down on the exhale and the other goes down on the inhale. You will find your own style and way of doing these things.
I also suggest, if possible, completing one or two multi day trips before you head off to shake things down.
From a niece who lives in eastern Ontario, I know winters (and snow in particular) can be interesting in much of Canada. I suspect Halifax at 44 north and by the ocean (I am 41 south and also by an ocean) may moderate that experience.
@MarieElaine , I wish you well and hope, come mid-May, to hear of your arrival in Compostela
Finally I say, kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going)
